Vehicle wheel



Nov. 27, 1934. s. KRoLl. ET AL VEHICLE WHEEL Filed April 27, 1934 THEIRATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1934 oNrrsD s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICEy 3Claims.

This invention relates to a vehicle wheel.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved vehicle wheelwhich is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and eiliciente in use.

ther objects of the invention are: to provide a new and improved vehiclewheel, especially adapted for baby carriages and coaches; to provide anew and improved vehicle wheel for baby carlo riages and the like whichisstronger in construction, neater in appearanceand easier to constructand repair than those of the prior art; to provide a vehicle wheel inwhich the spokes may be readily assembled or laced and readily replacedin case of rupture or breakage; in which the hub structure acts as aneffective Support for the spokes; in which the anti-frictionbearing inthe hub of the wheel is mounted in a novel mannerv in a relatively largewooden block which forms the body of the hub structure thereby givingthe hub structure of the wheel a rather massive, strong, solid, heavyand sturdy, but at the same time, neat and attractive appearance; toprovide a wheel for baby carriages and coaches and the like in which thespokes are radially muchshorter in length than they are in theconventional wheel structure, thereby imparting greater strength andresistance to stresses and strains than is possessed bythe prior artwheels; to provide a wheel which has its greatest strength andresistance to stresses and Strains on its axially inner side where thegreatest load is carried by and exerted upon the wheel in use; toprovide a wheel structure in which the spokes may be readily adjustedand centered radially; to provide a vehicle wheel for baby carriages andthe like which prevents the spokes from becoming loose and rattling andwhich prevents faulty lacing of the spokes; which is simple inconstruction; and in which the hub cap not only functions as such buteven serves as a support or anchor for the radially inner ends of theaxially outer row of spokes embodied in the wheel.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by ref erence to the accompanyingdrawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of the new wheelstructure applied to a typical baby carriage or coach;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a preferred form of one ofthe new wheels, as seen i'rom the axially outer side of the wheel;

Fig. 2A is a fragmentary elevational view of the Wheel shown in Fig. 2as seen from the axially inner side of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly, that is, one fourth in section, looking atthewheel in upright position and from its peripheral surface; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail View of a part of the lhub structure of thewheel.

A preferred embodiment of the new wheel is shown in the drawing, isindicated generally therein at 10, and is shown in conjunction With atypical baby carriage or coach 11.

The new wheel comprises a felloe 12, bearing a rubberftire 17, a hubstructure generally indicated atl, an axially outer row of Wire spokes14 and anf axially inner row of wire spokes 15 extending between andanchored to the felloe 12 i and the hub structure 13.

The hub structure 13 comprises a substantially frusto-conical body orblock 18, which is preferably made of relatively light material such,for example, as Wood. Formed in the axially outer end of this body orblock 18 is an annular rabbet or under-cut groove 19 and pressedV orfrictionally ntted onto the `body 18 over the grooved portion 19 thereofis the hub cap 16 which has an annularfflange 20 formed on its axiallyinner side and to which the axially outer row of spokes 14 are'attachedor anchored at their radially inner ends. f

Extending axially through the centerA of the hub body 18 is acylindrical bore 21 in which is arranged a cylindrical metal bearing 22of Babbitt or other suitable metal adapted to receive the end portion ofthe axle 24 and held in place in the core or body 18 of the hubstructure by means of an annular row of barbs or penetrating points 23(Fig. 4) struck out from the bearing A 22 upon its radially outer side;the axially outer end of the bearing 22 having a flanged bushing 25 ttedthereon and adapted to coact with a latch element 26 to detachably latchthe Wheel 10 to the axle 24 (Fig. 4)

Rotatably mounted upon, that is, "oating on the bearing 22 between theflanged bushing 25 and the axially inner vand larger end or face los ofthe hub body 18, with which face it is substantially co-extensive insize or area, is an annular plate or disc 27 to which the radially inner`ends of the axially inner row of spokes 15 are attached or anchored.

In constructing the new wheel structure the the axially outer andsmaller end portion of the wooden body 18; the disc or plate 27 isarranged in position between the inner and larger face of the hub core18 and the flanged bushing 25, and the axially outer row of spokes 14are laced or anchored to the felloe 12 and to the flange 20 of the hubcap 16; the axially inner row of spokes 15 being laced or anchored tothe felloe V12 and to the disc 27. During the operation of lacing oranchoring the spokes 15 to the felloe 12 and to the disc 27 the lattermay be rotated upon the bearing 22 so as to true the axially inner rowof spokes 15 radially and likewise, the axially outer row of spokes 14may be trued or radially centered by manipulating the hub body 18 andhub cap 16 vrelative to the disc 27, thus assuring that the spokes willbe in their correct positions radially relative to the felloe 12 and hubstructure 13 and not distorted or twisted.

L is to be noted that in the new wheel the axially inner spokes 15 arerelatively much shorter in length than the axially outer spokes 14, andwill, therefore, offer greater resistance to bending under load Wherethe load and bending stress are greatest, that is, upon the axiallyinner side of the wheel. It is also to be noted that by reason of therelatively great diameter of the hub body 18, compared to the overalldiameter of the wheel, both the spokes 14; aswell 4as the spokes 15 arerelatively much shorter in length than are the spokes of conventionalbaby carriage wheels, thus giving the new wheel greater strength andresistance to crushing and bending loads and stresses.

It is likewise to be noted that the new wheel while having a hubstructure which, while it appears'rnassive and relatively heavy, is in,reality light but very strong and neat and attractive in appearance;that both rows of spokes 14 and 15 are readily accessible for thepurpose of replacement, tightening or centerizing and therefore mayreadily be replaced if damaged or broken, andy adjusted or centered intheir correct rradial positions; and that the hub cap 16 not onlyfunctions as a hub cap but also serves as an anchor or support for thespokes 14.

While We have illustrated and 4described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying our invention into eiect, this is capable ofvariation and modification, Without departing from the spirit of theinvention. We, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of suchvariations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A vehicle Wheel, comprising: a felice: hub structure including amember providing an axlebearing surface; a substantially rustomc iicalbody having said bearing member eaxially therethrough; a disc rotatablymounts' upon said bearing member at the larger axial end or face of saidbody and substantially co'- extensive in area with said end or face; acap mounted upon said body at the opposite and smaller end thereof; andspokes; said spokes having attachment at their radially cuter ends tosaid feiloe; certain of saispokes having at Atachrnent at their radiallyinner ends to disc and the remaining ones ci said spokes havingattachment at their radially inner ends of said hub cap.

2. A vehicle Wheel, comprising: felice: a hub structure including amember providing an axlebearing surface; a body having bearing memberextended axially therethroug a disc rotatably mounted. upon said bearing.member at the axially inner end of said body; a hub cap mounted uponsaid body at the axially outer end of the latter; and spokes; saidspokes having attachment at their` radially outer ends to felloe;certain of said spokes having attachment at their radially inner ends tosaid disc the remaining ones of said spokes having attachment at theirradially inner ends to said hub cap.

3. A vehicle wheel, comprising: a elloe; a hub structure including asubstantially frusto-conical body having cylindrical bore-extendinraxially and centrally therethrough; an axle-bearing member mounted insaid bore; disc rotatably mounted upon said bearing member at theaxially inner and larger end or 'face of said body and substantiallyco-extensive in area with said face; a hub cap mounted upon said body atthe axially outer and smaller end vor face oi the latter; said hub capclosing the axially outer SAMUEL KROLL. NATHAN KROLL.

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